as a kid visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, I never had much interest in Tomorrowland. it was just a place to walk through on our way to Toontown and Fantasyland. I was happy to find that as an adult [and with a few additional attractions] this land held a lot more appeal for me. Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters was unfortunately closed during out visit, but there was still plenty left to do...
Space Mountain
this ride was one of Husband's favorites, so we decided to endure the hour long standby wait. I was getting a little nervous, because every 20 feet or so there is an "escape pod" where you can chicken out and exit the line. but I figured if the 8 year olds in front of me could handle it, so could I. we lucked out and ended up in the very front row.
I thought that I had once ridden Space Mountain, but it turns out I was actually remembering Spaceship Earth from Epcot [the one inside the big dome.] Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster, and the entire ride is completely in the dark aside from the "star" lights that you blaze past. it feels like you are flying through space at warp speed [or in hyperdrive, depending which reference you prefer.]
to be honest, it made me a little nauseous to be enclosed the whole time. but according to Husband it was just as much fun as an adult as he remembered as a kid. we only rode once but it would definitely be worth another go, especially if you have a spare fastpass or find a short [15-20 minutes] standby wait time.
Star Tours: the adventures continue
Star Tours was another attraction that I never rode, but was a favorite of Husband's. the concept behind the Star Wars themed ride is that you are taking a transport led by C3PO that suffers a few mishaps along the way. the attraction had been recently updated, and the theming was incredible. the waiting line was like going through a space age airport, complete with safety videos and ads for flights to Alderan and Coruscant, crates of cargo, and a thermal imaging security scan.
the actual ride itself was a combination 3D video and simulator... which of course made me nauseous. [have I mentioned that I'm a complete baby about getting nauseous?] anyway, the presentation was all in Japanese but I could still grasp what was happening. if you are a Star Wars fan [or have at least seen the original movies] this one should be entertaining for you.
Monsters Inc, Ride & Go Seek!
Monsters Inc is insanely popular in Asia [or at least in Taiwan and Japan that I've seen] but the real reason this ride is so popular is because it is truly interactive. the Monsters Inc Ride & Seek is not like any Monsters themed ride at the other Disney parks, and some people come to Tokyo Disneyland specifically for this ride.
this attraction was probably the most fun I had our entire visit, and I don't say that lightly. there is a reason why standby wait times can go as long as 3 hours... so this is definitely a ride you want to get a fastpass for. you also want to get one early on in the day, because there are a limited amount available and they go quick.
the waiting area for this ride is the reception area of the Monsters Inc building, pretty much straight out of the movie. we rode twice, both times with fastpass, and waited maybe 15-20 minutes.
all the characters speak in Japanese, but you can easily grasp the concept. you are loaded into a cart which is equipped with working flashlights. by spotting blue helmets and flashing your light onto the Monsters Inc logo, monsters will come out of hiding and the scenes will come alive.
they don't actually keep score, but at the exit they display your photos temporarily under a "high score/ all stars" type board. Husband and I were killer at finding monsters, and we had so. much. fun. that my face hurt after from all the laughing.
we rode it again our second day, and while it loses some interest when you know where to find all the helmets, it was still really fun. so much that even thought the Haunted Mansion has been my favorite for 25 years [and will always be my favorite classic ride], this might be my new favorite.
stay tuned this week for more rides and tips on visiting Tokyo Disneyland... next up will be Fantasyland!
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